1. Guaranteed late checkout -- as far as I know the 4PM guaranteed late checkout (with some outs for availability) is the best of all the programs. It's a great benefit when you need it. Taking a very late flight out? Easy, keep your room till 4pm, no problem. This is one of the benefits that always seems to work.

2. Free internet for Platinum members. We wish this was for all elite members, but it's still a great benefit.

3. SPG Amex for US residents. Get a personal one and a business one for the points bonus AND you can get 2 stays/5 nights credit for each one (up to 4 stays/10 nights total) making re-qualifying easier.

4. 25% miles bonus when transferring SPG points to miles. For those that do this, I've always used my points for hotel stays, but I know lots of people have the card and use the program just for this benefit, also it can be good way to top off miles for an award. Unfortunately, we lost several of the US majors, AA and UA along the way, and not sure about CO. We know SPG would have preferred to keep UA and AA, but the credit card/bank wars got in the way of that. (Chase has a lock on UA. Citibank has a lock on AA.)

5. Cash and Points. We love C&P. We need to watch this to make sure availability doesn't dry up in an improving economy.

6. No blackouts/Std Room guarantee. This is what started it. Please make sure properties aren't playing games with the definition of standard rooms as that weakens/cheapens the entire program.

Good website for one. When you search for hotel, you get to see points, C+P, and other options all at the same time. Compare it to Priority Club/IHG's site, where you have to jump through hoops to figure out award availability.

C&P is, for all intents and purposes, the equalizer against the outrageous redemption rates for the top tier properties. Coupled with 5th night free, C&P helps reduce the pain on top tier properties. And, they are some great top tier properties.

I'd put Nights and Flights up there. I have not used it yet, but its a little little bonus to combine the 25% transfer bonus, 5th night free, and a big of *point savings on top.

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I used N&F a couple times, but tend towards C&P and 5th night free now. Where I think N&F is an outstanding benefit is using AA as the airline. Since AA counts miles from all sources towards lifetime status, the AA N&F is a great added value.

I used N&F a couple times, but tend towards C&P and 5th night free now. Where I think N&F is an outstanding benefit is using AA as the airline. Since AA counts miles from all sources towards lifetime status, the AA N&F is a great added value.

I would like N&F to be available for the higher end properties (or at least to Cat 5). Right now, using N&F to get to Hawaii means staying at Princess K (Oahu), Sheraton Keauhou (Big Isle) or Sheraton Kauai. Other than possibly the last one, I don't see this as great value for going to Hawaii.

I was really pleased with the 2010 plat gift. Despite the photo book being a real pain to load and navigate online, mine really came out quite nice. I felt it was a very creative touch by SPG. I'd really like to see this be an annual gift.

Plat line and having one Plat person handle my reservations...I realized by going through her my upgrades have increased...I now see upgrades online WAY before check-in. While I still do all the research, I go through her and things have been great.

SL 1 and 2 are great and C&P have allowed us to stay at some great properties.
25% off point redemption was nice to get last year

For me personally, SPG has more top "destination" properties than most of its competitors - -i.e. places where I really want to visit.

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For many business travelers, it's all about earning points for that hotel stay that you probably wouldn't do on your own dime. At the same time, Marriott has the Ritz-Carlton so if you like that type of place, there might not be as many properties in Starwood's roster (b/w St. Regis and Luxury Collection) to compete in that space.

1. Guaranteed late checkout -- as far as I know the 4PM guaranteed late checkout (with some outs for availability) is the best of all the programs. It's a great benefit when you need it. Taking a very late flight out? Easy, keep your room till 4pm, no problem. This is one of the benefits that always seems to work.

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I'm only an SPG Preferred Guest (via my AAA membership), so for me, the 4PM checkout is the best thing about the SPG program. It has driven me to choose SPG over other (sometimes cheaper) options when I have a late flight home.

One small correction, though: I wouldn't say it's the best, because it's not guaranteed at all properties -- resorts and conference centers are exempted. The best IMHO would be IHG, where Ambassadors always get 4PM late checkout at ICs. AFAIK there are no "outs" for the hotel, so it really is "guaranteed."

Love the 4pm checkout, has come in handy many times. I also really value getting lounge access at Sheratons (and others) , especially in Asia and Europe. Saves a lot of money and some of the lounges are fantastic. I am also a Hyatt Diamond but somehow I feel more at home at SPG, some properties like the Westin Tokyo are second homes.

Love the 4pm checkout, has come in handy many times. I also really value getting lounge access at Sheratons (and others) , especially in Asia and Europe. Saves a lot of money and some of the lounges are fantastic. I am also a Hyatt Diamond but somehow I feel more at home at SPG, some properties like the Westin Tokyo are second homes.

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Wish I could figure out a way to expense a long weekend at the Westin Tokyo :-D

surprise suite upgrades (unfortunately some hotels try to avoid giving this benefit, so one must sometimes argue, and some properties put few of their suites into the select standard suite upgrade pool)

guaranteed lounge access when there is one and it's open

wonderful aspirational properties but also some very interesting hotels just below this category: many LC and LM properties are like boutique hotels with corp standards and frequent guest benefits, Ws are interesting if you can deal with the trendiness and attitude, certain Westins and Sheratons are special

Upon further reflection (and several recent bad experiences with other programs), I have always had pretty good luck with SPG customer service in regards to their ability to resolve issues satisfactorily. IME, better than Hilton and Marriott, and light years ahwad of PC (which is absolutely useless).

I'll add *wood's stateside call centers to the list here. I regularly make reservations over the phone and have never received anything less that exceptional attention and quick service. *wood hotels are the only hotels I book over the phone instead of online because I find it quicker and more efficient. That being said, the new "compare rates" option on the website is valuable tool and makes an already good product better.

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